


Mercy

by babybrotherdean



Series: Ancient Egypt AU [3]
Category: Supernatural RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Egypt, Jensen is angry and protective, M/M, Pharaoh!Jared, SunGod!Jensen, and Jared is a young man who doesn't want to do anything unfair, some historical liberties may have been taken here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-09
Updated: 2015-10-09
Packaged: 2018-04-25 14:29:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4964257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/babybrotherdean/pseuds/babybrotherdean
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“He was on his watch when the… attempt was made.” The guard clears his throat, shifts on his feet before standing straight again. Jared wonders if the two of them know each other. “What shall you have us do with him?”</p>
<p>“Kill him.” It’s Jensen who speaks, and Jared is, not for the first time, grateful that he’s the only one who can hear. “He failed you, Jared. He almost got you killed. He let that- that thing into your chambers.” His grip tightens further, and Jared can’t help but wonder if it’s possible for him to leave a visible bruise behind. “He’s a traitor.”</p>
<p>Jared stays quiet, and he can’t take his eyes off the man on his knees.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Mercy

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place directly after Void.

Jared is, above all else, exhausted. He can feel the bags under his eyes, sitting heavy and tempting him to just let them slip shut, if only for a moment. He hasn’t slept this badly since he first moved to the temple as a child; it’s been his safe haven for years, but the visit from last night has him shaken, uneasy. Feels like he can’t trust anyone now.

Almost anyone, that is.

Jensen’s hand is warm, soothing as it rubs at the tense muscles in his neck and shoulders, standing silent at his side. It’s helping, if minimally, but it doesn’t make it any easier for Jared to think about what he’s being faced with now.

The guard from last night is on his knees, bound at the wrists and flanked by two other men. He’s looking at the ground, as he should- but he’s trembling, too, and Jared can almost smell his fear.

He’s not quite sure what to make of that.

“This is the one, Your Majesty.” It’s one of the other guards who speaks, but Jared doesn’t look away from the kneeling man. “He’s the one responsible.”

Jared feels Jensen’s fingers curl tight around his shoulder, and they get warmer, too. Not hot enough to burn, though- not yet. 

“He was on his watch when the… attempt was made.” The guard clears his throat, shifts on his feet before standing straight again. Jared wonders if the two of them know each other. “What shall you have us do with him?”

“Kill him.” It’s Jensen who speaks, and Jared is, not for the first time, grateful that he’s the only one who can hear. “He failed you, Jared. He almost got you _killed_. He let that- that thing into your chambers.” His grip tightens further, and Jared can’t help but wonder if it’s possible for him to leave a visible bruise behind. “He’s a traitor.”

Jared stays quiet, and he can’t take his eyes off the man on his knees.

He stands slowly, pushes up and off his throne and walks towards the three men. His guards each take a step back out of respect, but the one on the ground stays in place. Jared can feel warmth at his back, knows Jensen’s following him.

He crouches down a couple feet in front of the man, tilting his head a little bit. Speaks in a low voice, tries to sound firm. The man must be ten years older than him, at least, and it still feels odd to hold so much power over his elders. “You admitted to aiding in what happened last night?” A pause, and he adds, “you may speak.”

The man swallows audibly and keeps his eyes fixed on the floor. “The- the man. The dark man. He told me he needed my help, and that-” He stops, shudders. “That if I didn’t do as I was told, he would let me rot. Leave me to oblivion.”

It takes Jared a moment to understand, and from the hissed intake of breath behind him, he guesses that Jensen gets it before he does. 

“Apep,” he breathes, and he’s moving a little closer to Jared. It makes him feel a bit safer after what’s happened. “How dare he interfere-?”

“You were threatened,” Jared interrupts softly, reaches out without looking to rest his hand on Jensen’s leg. They’ll have time for him to be upset later, when there isn’t a man’s life resting in his hands. “And so you did as you were told.”

“I don’t- I want to exist,” the man whispers, and he finally looks up, barely a peek. There are tears in his eyes, though, and Jared’s chest aches in sympathy. “I can’t be denied my afterlife. I’m sorry, my king, I didn’t… I didn’t know what to do.”

Jared decides that he’s already breaking a few rules right now, so reaching out to rest his hand on the man’s shoulder shouldn’t be a big deal. His eyes go wide, anyways, but Jared ignores it. “You did what you could to protect yourself,” he says simply. “Threatened with oblivion, any man would have done the same.”

“Any _man_ , maybe,” Jensen mutters behind him, but he doesn’t sound as angry as he’d been before. “Perhaps you need to look into different protection.”

“I’ve got you,” Jared says, spares his friend a glance and a tiny smile before looking back at the guard. “You understand that what you did was wrong, yes?”

He nods quickly. “Of course. I wouldn’t- I wish no harm on you, Majesty. It is my sworn duty to protect you.”

“It is.” Jared nods once, then gets to his feet, lets himself lean into Jensen just a little bit. He really needs to get some proper sleep tonight, wonders if Jensen’s going to stay with him. “Thank you for your honesty. You are released from your duties for seven days, to spend time with your family and recuperate.” He knows personally how draining an encounter with Apep can be, and can’t imagine how it must feel to a regular mortal. “Don’t let me down again. You’re dismissed.”

He gestures to the other guards, and they step forward to help the man to his feet, releasing his wrists. Before they go, the man ducks his head towards Jared, and he hears a “thank you, my king, and may the blessings of the gods be with you.”

Jared moves back to his throne slowly, sinks down onto it and closes his eyes. A warm, rough hand cups his cheek, and he leans into it. Sighs. “What if he gets to more of them?”

“Then I’ll be here to make sure they don’t get to you.” Jensen’s thumb brushes over his lips, barely there. “I won’t let him hurt you, Jared.”

It’s enough of a reassurance for now, and Jared lets himself be led back to his chambers. After a near assassination, he’s sure no one will challenge him on taking some time to rest.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely sure on the historical accuracy of this one. HOWEVER.
> 
> The afterlife was one of the most important things to ancient Egyptians, and the threat of it being taken away- of simply not _being_ after one dies- would have been a threat worse than death itself.


End file.
